“The German unit of Vodafone Group PLC has obtained a restraining order against Deutsche Telekom AG’s T-Mobile unit prohibiting the German telecommunications giant from selling Apple Inc.’s iPhone in Germany,” Stefan Mechnig reports for Dow Jones Newswires.
“Vodafone is questioning Deutsche Telekom’s iPhone sales practices [regarding to] the iPhone’s exclusive use in T-Mobile’s network and the use of the device being limited to certain fees within T- Mobile’s subscription offerings,” Mechnig reports.
Vodafone isn’t generally opposed to T-Mobile’s exclusivity contract with Apple, but wants to have these new sales practices examined… The restraining order doesn’t aim at a total sales stop,” Mechnig reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “ChrissyOne” for the heads up.]
Vodafone feeling the pain?
MacDailyNews Note: Vodafone owns 45% of Verizon Wireless in the U.S., which also blew the iPhone deal, losing out to AT&T.
What makes me laugh about this is that if Nokia or any mobile phone manufacturer released a phone with an exclusive deal with T-Mobile Vodaphone wouldnt have done anything like this.
BUT, because its the ‘iphone’ Vodaphone is doing this because they lost out on the deal.
WELL TOUGH LUCK LOSERS.
This proves 100% that every mobile company is shit scared of Apple and their talents and their revolutionary iPhone.
it’s just more publicity, which is ultimately good
I really don’t get this. Isn’t it the consumer’s choice whether or not to buy the phone? I mean each of these companies offer multiple handsets with their plans. Just because one company has an exclusive phone it’s all of a sudden illegal in some way.
Take me for instance. I love the iPhone, but I don’t have one. The AT&T;plan does not fit my situation right now, so I sit on the outside looking in at the “social” with iPhone envy. But I’m not going to go cry to the high courts about it. Everyone seemed to have had a shot at getting the iPhone and the smart ones won out.
Its a shame to see these companies crying over their bad business decisions. Same goes for all those crying over the iPod/iTunes coupling. If I wanted I could have gone out and got one of those other players that played every format but AAC under the sun and used Real player. But, “I” decided to go with Apple. My decision my money.
There is competition out there, its not Apple’s fault that consumers don’t want to purchase other players at the rate they are purchasing the iPod.
One year to go Verizon, one year and buhbye
Ampar: The star also means that you get your own private dressing room along with the fulfillment of your contract rider that guarantees it’s always stocked with six cans of Schweppes Ginger Ale, Aveda candles, a tub of Red Vine licorice, ten bottles of Fiji water and six bags of green M&Ms;
don’t forget about the fluffers …
Or the more risqué acts that still insist on a round of flaming fluffernutters.
I want to see what Nokia does if Apple’s iPhone goes to Finland!
since I’m probably one of the few German speakers here in the MDN forum, I can tell you that according to the original article in the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, the restraining order has to do with T-Mobile’s SIM Locking of the iPhone. SIM locking is indeed illegal in the EU. It also has to do with the question of what happens after the 2 year contract with T-Mobile expires: if you’re still not allowed to use your iPhone with other providers even after the contract expires, that is a clear violation of EU law, and Apple will have serious problems in Europe if that is indeed the case.
How is this supposed to work in the US?